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She had loved, she did love still, and she had...
10:50, 2010-Feb-9
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She had loved, she did love still, and she had all the suffering which
a warm temper and a high spirit were likely to endure under the
disappointment of a dear, though irrational hope, with a strong sense
of ill-usageHer heart was sore and angry, and she was capable only
of angry consolationsThe sister with whom she was used to be on
easy terms was now become her greatest enemy: they were alienated
from each other; and Julia was not superior to the hope of some
distressing end to the attentions which were still carrying on there,
some punishment to Maria for conduct so shameful towards herself
as well as towards MrWith no material fault of temper,
or difference of opinion, to prevent their being very good friends
while their interests were the same, the sisters, under such a trial as
this, had not affection or principle enough to make them merciful
or just, to give them honour or compassionMaria felt her triumph,
and pursued her purpose, careless of Julia; and Julia could never see
Maria distinguished by Henry Crawford without trusting that it
would create jealousy, and bring a public disturbance at last
Fanny saw and pitied much of this in Julia; but there was no outward
fellowship between themJulia made no communication, and
Fanny took no libertiesThey were two solitary sufferers, or connected
only by Fanny?s consciousness
The inattention of the two brothers and the aunt to Julia?s discomposure,
and their blindness to its true cause, must be imputed
to the fullness of their own mindsThey were totally preoccupied
Tom was engrossed by the concerns of his theatre, and saw nothing
that did not immediately relate to itEdmund, between his theatrical
and his real part, discounted louis vuitton bags between Miss Crawford?s claims and his own
conduct, between love and consistency, was equally unobservant;
and MrsNorris was too busy in contriving and directing the general
little matters of the company, superintending their various dresses
with economical expedient, for which nobody thanked her, and saving,
with delighted integrity, half a crown here and there to the
143
Jane Austen
absent Sir Thomas, to have leisure for watching the behaviour, or
guarding the happiness of his daughters
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Mansfield Park
CHAPTER XVIII
EVERYTHING WAS NOW in a regular train: theatre, actors, actresses,
and dresses, were all getting forward; but though no other great
impediments arose, Fanny found, before many days were past, that
it was not all uninterrupted enjoyment to the party themselves, and
that she had not to witness the continuance of such unanimity and
delight as had been almost too much for her at firstEverybody
began to have their vexationEntirely against
his judgment, a scene-painter arrived from town, and was at work,
much to the increase of the expenses, and, what was worse, of the
eclat of their proceedings; and his brother, instead of being really
guided by him as to the privacy of the representation, was giving an
invitation to every family who came in his wayTom himself began
to fret over the scene-painter?s slow progress, and to feel the miseries
of waitingHe had learned his part?all his parts, for he took every
trifling one that could be united with the Butler, and began to be
impatient to be acting; and every day thus unemployed was tending
to increase his sense of the insignificance of all his parts together,
and make him more ready to regret that some necklace tiffany other play had not
been chosen
Fanny, being always a very courteous listener, and often the only
listener at hand, came in for the complaints and the distresses of
most of themYates was in general thought to
rant dreadfully; that MrYates was disappointed in Henry Crawford;
that Tom Bertram spoke so quick he would be unintelligible; that
MrsGrant spoiled everything by laughing; that Edmund was
behindhand with his part, and that it was misery to have anything
to do with MrRushworth, who was wanting a prompter through
every speechShe knew, also, that poor MrRushworth could seldom
get anybody to rehearse with him: his complaint came before
145
Jane Austen
her as well as the rest; and so decided to her eye was her cousin
Maria?s avoidance of him, and so needlessly often the rehearsal of
the first scene between her and MrCrawford, that she had soon all
the terror of other complaints from himSo far from being all satisfied
and all enjoying, she found everybody requiring something they
had not, and giving occasion of discontent to the othersEverybody
had a part either too long or too short; nobody would attend as they
ought; nobody would remember on which side they were to come
in; nobody but the complainer would observe any directions
Fanny believed herself to derive as much innocent enjoyment from
the play as any of them; Henry Crawford acted well, and it was a
pleasure to her to creep into the theatre, and attend the rehearsal of
the first act, in spite of the feelings it excited in some speeches for
MariaMaria, she also thought, acted well, too well; and after the
first rehearsal or two, Fanny began to be their only audience; and
sometimes as prompter, sometimes as omega seamaster titanium watch spectator, was often very useful
As far as she could judge, MrCrawford was considerably the
best actor of all: he had more confidence than Edmund, more judgment
than Tom, more talent and taste than MrShe did not
like him as a man, but she must admit him to be the best actor, and
on this point there were not many who differed from herYates,
indeed, exclaimed against his tameness and insipidity; and the day
came at last, when MrRushworth turned to her with a black look,
and said, ?Do you think there is anything so very fine in all this? For
the life and soul of me, I cannot admire him; and, between ourselves,
to see such an undersized, little, mean-looking man, set up
for a fine actor, is very ridiculous in my opinion
From this moment there was a return of his former jealousy, which
Maria, from increasing hopes of Crawford, was at little pains to
remove; and the chances of MrRushworth?s ever attaining to the
knowledge of his two-and-forty speeches became much lessAs to
his ever making anything tolerable of them, nobody had the smallest
idea of that except his mother; she, indeed, regretted that his part
was not more considerable, and deferred coming over to Mansfield
till they were forward enough in their rehearsal to comprehend all
his scenes; but the others aspired at nothing beyond his remembering
the catchword, and the first line of his speech, and being able to
146
Mansfield Park
follow the prompter through the restFanny, in her pity and kindheartedness,
was at great pains to teach him how to learn, giving
him all the helps and directions in her power, trying to make an
artificial memory for him, and learning every word of his part herself,
but without his being much chanel wallet the forwarder
Many uncomfortable, anxious, apprehensive feelings she certainly had;
but with all these, and other claims on her time and attention, she was
as far from finding herself without employment or utility amongst them,
as without a companion in uneasiness; quite as far from having no
demand on her leisure as on her compassionThe gloom of her first
anticipations was proved to have been unfoundedShe was occasionally
useful to all; she was perhaps as much at peace as any
There was a great deal of needlework to be done, moreover, in
which her help was wanted; and that MrsNorris thought her quite
as well off as the rest, was evident by the manner in which she claimed
it??Come, Fanny,? she cried, ?these are fine times for you, but you
must not be always walking from one room to the other, and doing
the lookings-on at your ease, in this way; I want you hereI have
been slaving myself till I can hardly stand, to contrive Mr
Rushworth?s cloak without sending for any more satin; and now I
think you may give me your help in putting it togetherThere are
but three seams; you may do them in a triceIt would be lucky for
me if I had nothing but the executive part to doYou are best off, I
can tell you: but if nobody did more than you, we should not get on
very fast?
Fanny took the work very quietly, without attempting any defence;
but her kinder aunt Bertram observed on her behalf?
?One cannot wonder, sister, that Fanny should be delighted: it is
all new to her, you know; you and I used to be very fond of a play
ourselves, and so am I still; and as soon as I am a little more at
leisure, I mean to look in at their rehearsals tooWhat is the play
about, Fanny? you have never hermes replica tol
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